Conveyer



c. w WAGNER 2,167,818

CONVEYER Original Filed March l5, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i INVENTOH CHARLESW-VVAGNER ATTORNEY Aug. 1, 1939. c. w, WAGNER CONVEYER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed March l5, 1937 INVENTR @'iARL-ESn-WAGNER Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 15, 1937, Serial No. 130,831 Renewed April 13, 1939 9 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyers for transporting letters, telegrams and similar sheet material from one station to another and it comprises a conveyer installation in which a plurality of laterally spaced'rails, preferably of circular cross section, are opposed to one or both runs of an endless belt which serves to move the sheet material along the rails between stations at which the sheet material is fed to and discharged from the conveyer.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention the rails exert yielding pressure on the sheet material and are adjustable toward and away from the opposing surface of the belt to suit variations in the thickness. of the sheet material. For the conveyance of very thin sheet material the rails may be positioned so that they touch or nearly touch the opposing surface of the belt. If the sheet material to be transported is of substantial thickness, as in the case of pads, superposed sheets, or file folders, the rails may be readily adjusted to give a degree of clearance that will prevent slippage between the belt and material without subjecting the latter to excessive pressure. The belt employed for conveying the sheet material along the rails is preferably made of yielding resilient material such as rubber and is provided, on its carrying surface, with small integral projections which serve as cushioning `devices for the sheet material, in addition to preventing slippage between the material and the belt. It will thus be seen that the sheet material is carried between yielding pressure applying surfaces provided, on the one hand, by the yieldingly mounted stationary rails and, on the other hand, by the inherently resilient travelling belt. This method of transporting the sheet material `eliminates slippage between the belt and the material and enables a substantial degree of pressure to be applied to the sheet material without danger of tearing or defacement.

In some cases the laterally spaced rails provided in accordance with this invention may be opposed to one or both runs of the conveyor belt so as to extend uninterruptedly from a receiving station at or adjacent one end of a belt to a delivery station at or adjacent the. opposite end of the belt. In other cases a plurality of sets oi the rails may be arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along each run of the belt so that the spaces between. the rails of adjacentV sets will coincide with eitherV receiving or delivery stations. Provision is also made whereby sections of the railsrnay beswung to an inoperative position to release theconveying pressure on the sheet material at a designated point where a suitable outlet is provided for the discharge or removal of the material.

Proceeding now to a more detailed description of this invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conveyer unit in which a single set of rails is opposed to each run of the conveyer to extend from a receiving station at one end of the belt to a delivery station at the opposite end of the belt.

Figure 2 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in section of the installation appearing in Fig. 1, the plane of the section being substantially along the line 2 2 of Fig. 3.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 oi Fig. l.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic View of a modified conveyer installation in which the belt and the rails are arranged to convey the sheet material in both a horizontal and a vertical direction. In this particular casey a plurality of sets of rails are spaced along each run of the belt so that the spaces between adjacent sets of rails coincide with suitable receiving and -delivery stations.

Figure 5 is a side view of a further modification in which a plurality of sets of rails are associated with each run of a vertically disposed belt conveyer.

Figure 6 is a rear View of the installation appearing in Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing a further modification.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detailed View of the pivoted rail sections and operating solenoids appearinar in Figs. 4 and '7.

In the construction shown in Fig. l, 5 designates a metal casing enclosing an endless belt 6 arranged to travel around rollers 'l and located at opposite ends of the casing. The belt 6 is preferably made of soft resilient material, such as rubber, and is provided, on its outer or carrying surface, with a multiplicity of closely spaced projections 9 formed integral with the body of the belt. The rollers 1 and 8 are journalled in suitable bearings Il) carried by the side walls of the casing. The belt is intended to be power driven in the direction indicated by the applied arrows in Fig. 1. To' this end the shaft of the upper roller l is extended as at la, so that it may be equipped with a pulley or coupled to the shaft of a suitable driving motor.

Three laterally spaced rails Il, preferably of circular cross section, are opposed to the descend- .ing side or run of the belt 6. These rails extend upwardly from a point below the axis of the roller 8 to a feed opening I2 provided in the front wall 5a of the casing at a point below the upper roll 1. The space between the wall 5a and the upper ends of the rails I I is bridged by a curved guide plate I3 by which sheet material, introduced through the opening I2, is guided into place between the opposing surfaces of the belt 6 and the rail I I.

Each rail II is yieldingly and adjustably supported in position by rods I4 fixed to the rail to extend outwardly through suitable fittings fastened to the casing wall 5a. Each fitting` I5 comprises a hollow member presenting a ange I6 engaging the outer surface of the casing Wall 5a and a reduced threaded neck portion I1 which extends inwardly through an opening in said..

wall and is engaged by a clamping nut I8. The

body portion of member I5 is provided with axially aligned recesses I9 and 20 separated from each other by a partition 2I provided with a central aperture 22. The rail supporting rod I4, associated with each fitting I5, extends outwardly through the recess I9 and the opening 22 and is provided with an adjusting nut 23 housed in the recess 20. A piston-like enlargement 24 is formed on the rod I4 to bear against one end of a spring 25, the other end of which `bears against the partition 2 I. It will thus be seen that the rails I I are yieldingly urged toward the opposing surface of the belt by the springs 25 to exert a yielding pressure on the sheet material as it is moved along the rails. It is also obvious that, byv turning the nut 23, the rails II may beadjusted toward or from the opposing surface ofthe belt 6. Sheet material, introduced through the opening I2, is yieldingly gripped between the rods II and the opposing projections 9 of the belt 6 vand is carried downwardly beyond the rods to a discharge opening 21 provided at the lower end of the casing.

Similar rails 28 are opposed to the ascending side of the belt 6 to extend from a feed opening 29 located adjacent the lower roller 8 to points X located above and slightly to the left of the axis of the upper roller 1.v In this connection it will be noted that the upper portions 28a of the rails 28 are curved over the roller 1 to extend in the direction of Va discharge opening 29a providedin the casing 5 at the left of said roller: Adeflector 30 is arranged to extend at an upward inclination from the lower edge of the opening 29a toward the belt 6 so that, when the sheet material carried upwardly by the belt is moved to the left beyond the upper ends of the rods 28,*it falls on this deflector and is guided outwardly through the opening 29a. The rods 28 are supported in place inrexactly the same manner as the previously described rods VII. The space between the lower ends of the'rods 28 and the upper edge of the feed opening 29 is 'bridged by a curved deecting plate I3a corresponding to the previously described plate I3. Y

It is desirable that the two runs of the belt 6 be rigidly supported intermediate the rollers'1Y and 8 to prevent undue deflection of the belt by the pressure ofV the resiliently mounted rods II and 28. Forthis reason each run of the belt is rigidly Supported, intermediate the rollers 1 and 8, on a dat supporting plate 32 provided with side flanges 33 which are fastened to the side Walls 5c of the casing as indicated at 34 in "Fig, 3. It will also be observed that the front and rear walls 5a and 5b of the casing 5 are detachably fastened to the side Walls 5C by means 0f th@ ai* taching flanges 35n and screws 34. This cor1`struc"-l tion permits the casing to be readily dismantledy for inspection or repairpurposes.'

In the construction diagar'nrnatically illustrated in Fig. 4 the belt 6 is trair'iedvaround roll-v ers 31, 38, 39, 40, 4I and 42 so" that terminal portions of the belt are disposed td travel in a vertical direction while the intermediate' portions are disposed to travel in a horizontal direction. In this case the belt operates in a casing.' 43 of inverted U-shape in which the belt supporting' rollers are arranged so that the horizontal stretches A and B of the belt travel along` the central horizontal portion 44 of the casing While the vertical stretches C and D operate in the vertical leg portions 45 and 46 of the casing. ThreeI spaced parallel rails 41, mounted in the same manner as the rails previously described, are opposed to the lower horizontal strech B of the belt to extend from the pulley 4I to the pulley 42. These rails cooperate with additional sets of vertically disposed rails 48 and 48 opposed to the inner vertical reaches D of the belt. The leg 45 of the casing is provided with a suitable feed opening 45a where the sheet material is introduced be-` tween the belt and the rails 48. This material is then transported over the rails 48, pulley 4 I, rails 41, pulley 42 and rails 48 to a suitable discharge opening provided at the lower end of the casing leg 46. At a point intermediate the pulleys 4I and 42 the rails 41 may be provided with hinged sections 41 adapted to swing from the horizontal position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4 to the inclined position indicated by full lines. These hinged sections of the rails work through a suitable opening provided in the casing 43 and may be operated in any suitable manner. In the present instance the means shown for controlling the po sitioning of each hinged rail'section 41 comprises a solenoid 59 fastened to the casing 43 by a bracket 5I. However, it will be understood that the hinged sections 41 of the three rails 41 may be coupled together and Yoperated by a single solenoid 50 which, as shown in' Fig. 8, may be connected in series with a battery 52 and manually operable switch 53. When the hinged rail sec tions 41 are in their inclined position the sheet material, as it reaches a position over these inclined sections, drops down upon the same and is discharged from the casing. In a long conveyer of the type shown in Fig. 4, these hinged rail sections 41 may be provided at various intervals befr tween the pulleys 4I and 42 to provide any num.-r ber of intermediate discharge stations along the horizontal portion 44 of the casing.

Referring still to Fig. 4, a set of rails 55 similar to those previously described, is arranged to extend upwardly along the right hand vertical stretch C of the belt, thence over the pulley 39 and along the upper horizontal stretch A of the belt to a station X2 where a suitable opening 56 is provided in the top of the casing C for the introduction of sheet material.V The material thus introduced is carried between the rails 55 and the belt 6 from the receiving station X2 to a discharge opening provided at the lower end of the casing leg 45. A further set of rails 58 is also arranged to extend upwardly along theV left hand vertical reach C of the belt 6, thence over the pulley 38 and along the upper horizontal reach A of the belt to the previously mentioned station X2.

An opening 59 is provided in the casing leg 46 for the introduction of sheet material which is then carried between the rails 58 and the belt to the station X2 where it may be removed or permitted to pass on to the discharge opening at the lower end of the casing leg 45. If desired, the continuous rails 55 and 58 may be replaced by a plurality of sets of rails spaced longitudinally of the belt to provide, between adjacent sets of the rails, combined receiving and discharge stations similar to that represented at X2.

The installation shown in Fig. is a slight modiication of that previously described in connection with Fig. 1. In this case the rails opposed to the descending side of the belt are arranged in two sets as indicated at E and F while the rails opposed to the ascending side of the belt are similarly arranged in two sets indicated at G andY H. The front casing wall 5w is provided with two feed openings 6l and 62. Sheet material inserted through the opening 6| is carried downwardly between the belt and the rails of the upper set E to the opening 62 where the sheet material may be removed or may be permitted to continue downwardly between the belt and the rails of the lower set F to be finally discharged through the bottom of the casing. Sheet material may also be introduced at the opening 62 to be carried downwardly between the belt and the lower rails F to the bottom discharge opening.

The casing wall 5b opposing the ascending side of the belt shown in Fig. 5 is also provided with suitable feed openings 64 and 65. Sheet material introduced through these openings is carried upwardly between the ascending side of the belt and the opposing rails G and H until it reaches the discharge opening 66 where it is discharged from the conveyer by the deiector 61.

As shown in Fig. 6 the walls 5a and 5h of the casing may be provided with transparent members 69 at points intermediate the fittings I5 by which the rails are supported in position. Fig. 6 also shows the shaft of the upper roll 1 coupled to the shaft of an electric motor 1U mounted on a bracket 1| fastened to the casing 5.

The installation shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may be modified as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. In this case the rails of the two lower sets F and G are provided with displaceable sections 14 hinged, at their upper ends, so that these sections may be swung outwardly to the full line position shown in Fig. 7 by means of the solenoids 50. In this position of the rail sections 14 the sheet material, when transported to a position opposite these sections, is relieved of conveying pressure so that it is free to drop from the belt onto the deectors 15 by which it is discharged from the casing. Obviously, rail sections such as those indicated at 14, may be provided at any desired intervals along the conveyer so that material may be readily discharged from the conveyer at various points intermediate the main feed and delivery openings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A drag conveyer for transporting sheet material comprising a casing provided with sheet material inlet and discharge openings spaced apart longitudinally of the casing, an endless travelling conveyer belt housed in said casing and extending longitudinally thereof, a series of laterally spaced stationary rails interposed between a run of the belt and an opposing wall of the casing and extending from the inlet to the discharge opening, said rails being secured to said casing wall and positioned so that sheet material inserted in the casing through the inlet opening is gripped between the rails and the opposing surface of the belt and dragged along the rails to the discharge opening.

with sheet material inlet and discharge openings,

2. A drag conveyer as set forth in claim I in which the rails are adjustably secured to the aforesaid casing wall so that said rails may be shifted toward or away from the opposing carrying surface of the belt to suit the thickness of the sheet material and to regulate the gripping pressure to which the sheet material is subjected between the rails and belt.

3. A drag conveyer as set forth in claim l in which the rails are secured to the aforesaid casing wall by ladjustable mountings including spring devices yieldingly urging the rails toward the belt, said mountings being adjustable to shift the rails toward or away from the opposing surface of the belt to suit the thickness of the sheet material and to regulate the gripping pressure to which the sheet material is subjected between the rails and the belt.

4. A drag conveyer for transporting sheet material comprising a casing having opposing walls thereof provided with inlet and discharge openings spaced apart longitudinally of the casing, an endless travelling conveyer belt housed in said casing and extending longitudinally thereof, a series of laterally spaced stationary rails interposed between each of said walls and an adjacent run of the belt and extending from the inlet to the discharge openings of said casing, the rails o-f each series being secured to one of said casing walls and positioned so that the sheet material introduced through the inlet opening of said casing is gripped between the rails and the opposing surface of the belt and dragged along the rails to the discharge opening of said casing, said sheet material being thus carried in opposite directions through the casing by the two runs of the belt.

5. A drag conveyer for transporting sheet material comprising a casing provided, at each end,

an endless travelling conve-yer belt housed in said casing and extending substantially the full length thereof, a series of laterally spaced stationary rails interposed between one run of the belt and an opposing wall of the casing, a second series of laterally spaced stationary rails interposed between the opposite run of the belt and an adjacent opposing wall of the casing, and means for supporting said rails in said casing so that material introduced through the inlet opening at one end of the casing is dragged along between one set of rails and the adjacent run oi the belt to the discharge opening at the opposite end of the casing while material introduced through the inlet ope-ning at the last mentioned end of the casing is dragged along between the remaining run of the belt and the opposing rails to the discharge opening at the first mentioned end of the casing.

6. A conveyer as recited in claim 5 in which the casing is provided with intermediate discharge openings for the discharge of material from intermediate portions of both runs of the belt, sections of the rails located opposite said intermediate discharge openings being piv- G5 otallyV mounted so that they may be swung away from the adjacent runs of the belt when it is desired to discharge material from the casing through said intermediate discharge openings.

7. A conveyer as set forth in claim 5 in which the casing is provided with additional inlet openings through which sheet material may be delivered to both runs of the belt at points inter mediate the ends of the casing.

8. A conveyer as set forth in claim 5 in which 75 the casing is provided =with intermediate discharge openings 'for the discharge of material kfrom,intermediate portions of both runs of the 10 swinging said pivotally mounted rail sections comprising solenoids connected thereto, said solenoids being mounted on said casing.

9. A conveyer as set forth in claim 1 in which the belt is made of resilient material such as rubber and is provided, on its material carrying surface, with small integral projections which serve as cushioning devices for the sheet material in addition to retarding slippage between the material and the belt.

CHARLES W. WAGNER. 

